2016 Gouldian Breeding Season - Australia

[wildbill]

most of all those young shown above including all the blues were wiped out within 48 hours of hatching. put this down to inexperienced first round breeders. had 2 pair still sitting on young which had been dead for a day or so.
they handled the hatching fine but failed to realize -they must feed them too! a few pair got the message by the time the hatchling dropped to 2 or 1 per nest. there was actually one nest I didn't bother to inspect at all and when I finally decided to take a look - the cock bird was still setting on 5 dried out dead young. so it goes to show you-it doesn't matter if you look or not if they don't feed the party is over.
meanwhile another 12 hatched out about 3 days ago with 30 odd fertile eggs to go. couple of blues amongst these too. 6 young now flying about the aviaries but so far about a third or 12 pair have settled down so far to breed.
I'd say maybe by end march it should be in full swing or might be a bad year. either way I have the numbers and a low count can jump to a large figure pretty quick.

[Babs _Owner]

wildbill

Oh boy!! This is when things get exciting, yes? !

[lovezebs]

wildbill

Oh damn....
Can't figure out what makes some first breeder good parents, and some not.

My one pair, started out trying to pull the same trick. Sitting diligently on crying babies, trying to hatch them back into eggs. I picked up on it very quickly (noticed begging getting weaker instead of stronger). Pulled the infants out, fed them one or two good meals. They started squawking like champions, parents got the hint and started feeding. No problems afterwards .

Good luck with the rest of the crew

[wildbill]

I think things will be better next round. hopefully they will get their act together 3 young out today from the lime blue possibles. so 6 in total now flying about including the lime.
one young is showing the white breasted straight off -other two appear normal

[Sally]

It is so frustrating when they don't seem to get it, but there isn't much you can do, unless you want to take over hand feeding. The problem with that is if you pull babies too soon, you don't give the parents a chance to do it on their own. Better sometimes to go through the disappointment but hope that they learn to care for their babies next time.

[wildbill]

Sally
so true and I have the numbers so it's very important I get them to rear their own young under aviary conditions. on another note 4 more young jumped nest late today and flying about -so the tally has risen to 10

[wildbill]

Prior to dark I checked another gouldian nest box which had hatched 5 young 3 days back. all good and all 5 young still alive and being well fed - 4 green and a BLUE!

[lovezebs]

wildbill

Woo-Hoo !
Fingers and toes crossed over here.

[wildbill]

lovezebs

another 7 young hatched overnight 4 and a 3 to new parents. plus a bonus -another young lime out today. jumped nest early with 2 green backs but will see how it pans out

[lovezebs]

wildbill

Hopefully parents will keep on feeding, and that all goes well for all these little ones. Toes crossed for those limes and blues

My little porker, is refusing to fledge ( have you ever heard of something like that? ) Twenty three days old, and still lazing around in the nest, yelling for service And amazingly enough, the parents are complying, go figure.

[wildbill]

lovezebs

the little porker gets it tooooo easy!...lol got you a photo when I was feeding them today these 3 jumped nest early. another lime and 2 greenbacks

[wildbill]

notice the lettuce - I feed them all. regardless of their head value

[lovezebs]

wildbill

I should definitely hope you feed them all or I'd have to come down there and have words with you, lol.


When the limies grow up, are they similar to this fella's colouring ?

[wildbill]

probably a bit different in the shade. all mine are black headed birds no other head colour. seeing I have bred a white breasted normal in another nest or it could be split for lime or blue I'd say this year it's possible I could breed the white breasted lime.
at the moment the unusual coloured purple looking hatchling which last year popped up quite a few times -not as yet but saying that there are many pairs not breeding yet.......like about 20...lol

[lovezebs]

wildbill

Well, best of luck.

Looking forward to seeing the White breasted Limie this season